Tire-protector.



R. V. HASTINGS. f

TIRE PROTECTOR. APPLIoATIoN FILED MAR. s, 1911.

1,019,468. Pau'iemed Mar. 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 5* ,5

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R. `V. HASTINGg. d y TIRE PROTECTOR.

Y APPLIOATION'I'ILED MAR.8,1911. 1,019,468.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

nn'rrnn srarns Parana* ernten. I

RALPH V. HASTINGS, 0F CHlCAGO, LLINOIS.

TIRE-PROTECTOR.

struction and of great efficiency in operathe ordinary manner.

tion.

Other objects Will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists in a tire protector of the construction hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention Will be more readily understood by reference tov t-he accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a fragment of a pneumaticl tire to which is applieda protector embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line .fr-a2 of Fig. l, Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section taken substantially on line yi/ ofFig. 2, Fig. 4 is a perspective vievi7 of one of the tread blocks included in the construction, detached, Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of the tread block holders, detached, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the base members which are arranged upon the body of the protector and with which the holders. one of which is shown in Fig. 5, slidably engage, and Fig. 7 is a transverse section of a slightly modified form of tread block.

Referring now to the drawings 1 designates a conventional vehicle Wheel rim in Which is mounted the tire casing 2 and the air tube 3 arranged within the casing 2 in Arranged upon the tread portion of the tire, that is of the casing 2. is the flexible vbody 4 of the protector constituting the subject Vmat-ter of this invention. The body 4 formed of a single sheet of anyv suitable flexible durable material, leather or the like being preferably employed. ln order that said body 4 will be adapted to snugly embrace the tire, the respective longitudinal edges thereof are slit and cut away as at 5 so that when the body member 4 is arranged upon the tire, `the edges of said slits will be disposed in close proximity, as clearly shown in Fig. 3,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 8, 1911.

clearly illustratedI in Fig. 2.

ysuch that Patented Mar. 5, 1912. serial Na. 613,141. l Y

to completely cover the tire upon which it 1s arranged.

The body member 4 `is held'l in the operative position upon the tire through the medium of' hooked 'engaging members 6 which. are secured to the longitudinal edges of lsaid body preferably by` means of rivets 7, the outer hooked end portions of said members. 6 engaging the engaging flanges ofthe rim 1 in the manner In use, the body member 4 is arranged vupon the tire when the latter is inI deflated condition. Upon said body being` arranged in position the tire is inflated, the arrangement being When said tire is fully distended the protector body4 willI be tightly stretched around the tread portion -of the tire.

Arranged centrally upon the outerside of the .member 4 are tread projections Which,-

in operation, serve to bear th-ebulk ofthe Wear uponthe tire and also to prevent slipping. a channel-formed base member 8 which is rigidly and permanently secured to the member 4 by means of rivets 9. The mem, bers S'are arranged upon the member 1 preferably in three circumferentially eX- tendingro\vs those in each roW being arranged end to end, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the members ofadjacent rows being'in staggered relation -as clearly shown in said figure. The rivets 9 of adjacent base meinbers S in adjacent rows are arranged in transverse alinement as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that transverse bending of the'body member 4 at eac-h side of transversely alining rivets is permit-ted, this being of special advantage as Will be hereinafter described.

Detachably mounted in each of the members 8 is a frusto-pyramidal tread block holder 10, the longitudinall edges of each of the members 10 being provided with projecting flanges 11 which slidably engage under the engagingflanges 12 provided at the longitudinal edges of said Vbase'members 8. Carried in each of the holders 10 is a resilient tread block 13 of a form corresponding with that of the former, the arrangement being such that said blocks will be firmly held against outward movement in the holders 10 but will be free for removal from said vholders when the latter are disengaged fromy the base members 8. The

Each of said projections comprises' members 13 areforined of any suitable re 11G treadv blocks 13 become wornA the same may- `silient material, rubber being preferably any other material now known which couldl be used for this purpose. Longitudinal movement of the vholders l0 in the base members 8 in one direction is prevented by outwardly projecting flanges 14 formed at corresponding extremities of said base members, the arrangement being such that movement of each holder in the opposite direction will be prevented by reason ofthe flanged extremity of the adjacent base member 8 being disposed to prevent such movement, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Removal of the holders IO may be etl'ected by bending the body member 4 in the line of the transversely alined rivets 9, since by so doing the ends of the base members 8 Will be turned so that the members 10 may be slid to disengagement.

If desired, the members 10 may be dispensed with anda flange formed integral on the block as shown in Fig. 7 the member l5 thus formed being adaptedto'be slid into engagement with the engaging flanges ofl the members 8 iny the same manner as the holders 10. I

A tire 'protector of the construction-set forth i's'z durable and economical. When the be readily renewed and new ones arranged L in theirfplaces, orv if said blocks are worn to such. 'ari lextent that the holders 10 are also worn? doivn, both holder and' block may be renewedfby sim ly detaching the body member a'at'd-bendmg the same in .the manner ,e abbve described.

It is understood that the arrangement of the tread-devices or projections carried by the bodyl member 4 maybe changed if desired without departing from the spirit of the invention, it being only^important that if the arrangement is attered that adjacent projections. will `serve*asalmeans, of locking each other m position andgfthat the rivets se- 'curing the basemel'nbersS will be so disposed as topermitof the body member 4 being bent so aspto permit of detachment of the holders 10.

While I have illustrated and-described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into etfectthis is capable of variation andl modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth butdesire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within:l the scope of fthe appended claims.

^ Having described my invention what I holders for said blocks detachably engaging the latter; and channel-formed base members permanently secured to said body, said block holders slidably and detachably engaging said base members, corresponding ends ot' said base members being closed to prevent movement o f said-block holders in one direction, said base members being so arranged that each serves as a means of normally preventing movement of the next adjacent holder in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

2. A tire -protector comprising a flexible body adapted for securing upon a tire to embrace the tread portion thereof; resilient rubber pyramidal tread blocks arranged upon the outer side of said body in rows extending longitudinally about the latter; and means for detachably securing said blocks in position upon said body, said means comprising pyramidal holders for said blocks detachably engaging the latter; and channebformed base members permanently secured to said body, the longitudinal base of said block holders slidably and detachably engaging said base members, corresponding ends of said base members being closed to prevent movement of said block `holders in one direction, said base members being arranged end to end so that each serve as a means for normally preventing movement of the next adjacent holder in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

3. A device-ot1 the class described comprising a tire; base blocks secured to the periphery of the tire, each of said base In testimony whereof I have signed my.

name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH V. HASTINGS. Witnesses:

JOSHUA R. H. Porrs, W. C. SMITH. 

